Hunter Lawrence
Encyclopedia
Hunter Lawrence Tried out for the job of placekicker
for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. He played college football
at the University of Texas at Austin
.
in Boerne, Texas
, where he was coached by Tommy Bludau. As a junior he made 20 out of 25 field goals
with a long of 48 yards with 2 being blocked, he also made 44 out of 46 point after touchdowns, which earned him first-team 4A all-state by the Associated Press
and the Texas Sports Writers Association. He notably made four field goals during a playoff win over New Braunfels High School
. As a senior Lawrence made 12 out of 19 FGs with 7 longer than 40 yards and long of 49 yards with 2 being blocked. He also made 43 out of 45 PATs which earned first team 4A all state by the Associated Press and second team by the Texas Sports Writers Association. Over his high school career, Lawrence made 32 of 44 FGs (.727) and 63 of 70 PATs (.900). Lawrence was considered the number three kicker in the nation in the recruiting class of 2006 and garnered three stars from ESPN
and Rivals.com
when he was recruited by the Longhorns (primarily for kickoff
s due to his strong leg).
When he became a junior in 2008, Lawrence earned his spot as the field goal kicker for the Longhorns which he continued in his 2009 senior season as well. His most legendary kick came during the 2009 Big 12 Championship Game
against the Nebraska Cornhuskers
. In the fourth quarter with one second put back on the clock, Nebraska held a 12-10 lead over the Longhorns. Coach Mack Brown
sent Lawrence out on the field to attempt the game winning kick. From 46 yards out on the left hash mark Lawrence scored the winning field goal as time expired ending the game 12-13, thus securing the Longhorn's third Big 12 Championship.
, Lawrence was quickly contacted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
and signed after a brief tryout. The 'Bucs' only had one kicker that they had just picked up in 2009 and were looking to sign someone with the talent that could handle pressure similar to the famous last second kick Lawrence made against Nebraska
in the 2009 Big 12 Championship Game
. On Aug. 24, 2010 the Buccaneers released Lawrence.
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
.
High school career
Lawrence attended Boerne High SchoolBoerne High School
Boerne High School is a public high school located in the hill country just 30 miles northwest of San Antonio in Boerne, Texas, USA. The high school is the original high school in Boerne which now has a second high school, Boerne Samuel V...
in Boerne, Texas
Boerne, Texas
Boerne is a city in the Hill Country of Texas in the United States. It is the county seat of Kendall County. Boerne was named in honor of Ludwig Börne, a Jewish German author and publicist, and its population was 10, 471 in the 2010 census. The city is noted for the landmark U.S. Supreme Court...
, where he was coached by Tommy Bludau. As a junior he made 20 out of 25 field goals
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
with a long of 48 yards with 2 being blocked, he also made 44 out of 46 point after touchdowns, which earned him first-team 4A all-state by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and the Texas Sports Writers Association. He notably made four field goals during a playoff win over New Braunfels High School
New Braunfels High School
New Braunfels High School is a public, co-educational secondary school in New Braunfels, Texas that was established in 1845. Up until 2008, New Braunfels was one of the largest, 4A, high schools in Texas...
. As a senior Lawrence made 12 out of 19 FGs with 7 longer than 40 yards and long of 49 yards with 2 being blocked. He also made 43 out of 45 PATs which earned first team 4A all state by the Associated Press and second team by the Texas Sports Writers Association. Over his high school career, Lawrence made 32 of 44 FGs (.727) and 63 of 70 PATs (.900). Lawrence was considered the number three kicker in the nation in the recruiting class of 2006 and garnered three stars from ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
when he was recruited by the Longhorns (primarily for kickoff
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
s due to his strong leg).
College career
During his freshman year in 2006, Lawrence began handling the kickoff duties mid season and continued to do so as a sophomore in 2007.When he became a junior in 2008, Lawrence earned his spot as the field goal kicker for the Longhorns which he continued in his 2009 senior season as well. His most legendary kick came during the 2009 Big 12 Championship Game
2009 Big 12 Championship Game
The 2009 Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship Game was held on December 5, 2009 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The divisional winners from the Big 12 Conference squared off in the 14th edition of the game. The Texas Longhorns represented the South Division and the Nebraska Cornhuskers...
against the Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference...
. In the fourth quarter with one second put back on the clock, Nebraska held a 12-10 lead over the Longhorns. Coach Mack Brown
Mack Brown
William Mack Brown is head coach of The University of Texas at Austin Longhorn football team.Prior to his head coach position at Texas, Brown was head coach at Appalachian State, Tulane, and North Carolina. Brown is credited with revitalizing the Texas and North Carolina football programs...
sent Lawrence out on the field to attempt the game winning kick. From 46 yards out on the left hash mark Lawrence scored the winning field goal as time expired ending the game 12-13, thus securing the Longhorn's third Big 12 Championship.
2010 NFL Draft
Even though no kickers were selected in the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
, Lawrence was quickly contacted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
and signed after a brief tryout. The 'Bucs' only had one kicker that they had just picked up in 2009 and were looking to sign someone with the talent that could handle pressure similar to the famous last second kick Lawrence made against Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
in the 2009 Big 12 Championship Game
2009 Big 12 Championship Game
The 2009 Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship Game was held on December 5, 2009 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The divisional winners from the Big 12 Conference squared off in the 14th edition of the game. The Texas Longhorns represented the South Division and the Nebraska Cornhuskers...
. On Aug. 24, 2010 the Buccaneers released Lawrence.